


A View from Below

by FemaleSpock



Series: The Empire has Two Faces [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Emperor Hux, Emperor Kylo, Gossip, Humour, M/M, POV Outsider, Stormtrooper Culture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-08
Updated: 2016-05-08
Packaged: 2018-06-07 03:46:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6783847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FemaleSpock/pseuds/FemaleSpock
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"They’re head over heels in love with each other.”</p><p>“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”</p><p>-</p><p>A group of stormtroopers discuss the relationship between their Emperors.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A View from Below

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is technically a sequel to my previous fic, Focus, but you don't have to read have read it to understand this. All you really need to know is that Hux and Kylo recently overthrew Snoke and became joint-Emperors, selling their marriage to one another as a political allegiance.

 

“I wonder who proposed to who,” AJ-2431, a.k.a. Ajay 10, mused aloud.

 

“What are you talking about now?” IN-6969 (nickname: Innuendo) asked, looking up from his datapad.

 

They were hanging out, a group of them, just reading some First Order approved literature, a holo-film on in the background with the sound turned down (there wasn’t much choice and they’d all seen it countless times before, to the point where they could all say the lines along with the actors).

 

“Emperors Hux and Ren,” Ajay 10 clarified. “I wonder who proposed to who. I mean, it must have come kind of out of nowhere either way.”

 

“Must have been Emperor Hux,” reasoned HJ-5868, known to his comrades as HaterJ, though he’d asked countless times not to be called that. He didn't see why stopping numerous troopers from breaking the rules and imbibing illegally purchased alcohol had gotten him labelled a 'hater' rather than a loyal friend and trooper but, after that incident, the name had just stuck. “He’s got a highly strategic mind. He must have calculated the benefits of the marriage to the Empire and set it out in a fashion that Ren could understand.”

 

“Like a business proposal!” Innuendo said, gleefully.

 

“That’s not very romantic but I suppose political marriages never are,” said Ajay 10, disappointed. He paused and voiced the other question that had been playing on his mind. “Do you think they sleep together?”

 

“They have to. They share a room,” said HaterJ.

 

“No, I mean do they have sex?”

 

HaterJ spluttered beneath his mask. “That’s a mental image I never needed. And I wouldn’t think so. They’re not going to get an heir that way so I don’t see what the point would be.”

 

“FR-2455 was on duty outside their room and he said he definitely heard _sounds_ ,” said Innuendo, living up to his name as ever.

 

HaterJ grasped his helmet. If it had hair readily accessible, he’d be tearing it out. “I did not need to know that.”

 

“Hey guys, what are we talking about?” PY-4561 asked, dropping in to sit beside HJ-5868.

 

“Oh hey, Yippee.  We were just discussing our illustrious Emperors and whether or not they lead a sexless marriage,” Innuendo announced proudly.

 

Yipee shifted in her seat. The armour was not so comfortable to sit in but Phasma occasionally dropped by the common-room and she wasn’t going to risk being caught without it. Not that the conversation currently going on wouldn’t get them all sent back to reconditioning but it was slightly easier cutting off a conversation than it was to pull on about 30 pounds of armour. They’d been trained to dress quickly but not _that_ quickly.

 

“They are definitely doing it,” Innuendo said, tilting his head towards HaterJ in a manner that seemed to be inviting argument from the other trooper. 

 

“Well, of course, they have sex. They’re crazy about each other,” Yippee said.

 

Every helmet swivelled towards her now.

 

“You mean crazy with how much they can’t stand each other, right? Right?” HaterJ gestured wildly. “Everyone knows they hate each other. They always have.”

 

Yippee laughed. “Maybe that’s how it started, or maybe it was just a cover, but they’re head over heels in love with each other.”

 

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard!” exclaimed HaterJ.

 

“Don’t tell me you haven’t seen it?”

 

“Seen what? They’re in public together all the time and at best their interactions can be described as businesslike, icily-polite. I’ve seen the holo-dramas: that is not how couples in love behave,” Ajay 10 added. “The romance has such potential – the wild raven-haired beauty with supernatural powers and the disciplined, upright former-General with the flaming hair, who can only let loose around his lover – but…What was I saying?”

 

Everyone groaned. This kind of romantic fantasising was not uncommon from Ajay 10. He saw potential relationships around every corner. He’d even attempted to manoeuvre Lieutenant Mitaka and Captain Phasma into spending alone time together, in desperate hopes that they might get together, but Phasma’s reaction had rather terrified him out of ever trying it again. 

 

“You and your holo-dramas,” said Innuendo, patting his arm fondly.

 

“Yeah, they’re not exactly going to start full on making out in front of the troops,” Yippee stated. 

 

“If only,” said Innuendo and Ajay 10, at the same time, though in rather different tones of voice.

 

HaterJ swatted their helmets. “They’re our commanders! You’re not supposed to think about them _that_ way.”

 

“But they way they look at each other when they think no-one’s looking,” Yippee persisted. “It’s the only time I’ve ever seen Emperor Hux look soft.”

 

“He was probably plotting Emperor Ren’s murder! That’s why he looked happy!” HaterJ protested, his voice rising as it did when he got annoyed.

 

“Come on, guys. We’re getting into dangerous territory here. If anyone heard us…” Innuendo cautioned, suddenly serious.

 

“Everyone is saying it! The Emperors practically confirmed it themselves: this marriage is a political move. A personal sacrifice on both their parts to secure the Empire for the benefit of the galaxy.” HaterJ paused. He trusted his friends but the threat of reconditioning was very real and you never knew who was listening. “I didn’t mean that Emperor Hux was actually going to murder Emperor Ren. Just that he might occasionally fantasise about it.”

 

Hopefully the backtrack would be sufficient.

 

Innuendo burst into laughter: not usually a welcome sound but HaterJ appreciated it now. “Oh, I don’t think that’s the only thing he’s fantasising about doing to Emperor Ren.”

 

HaterJ smacked him again, but with affection.

 

There was a sudden beeping noise. All the troopers checked for orders at once.

 

“Not me,” Innuendo said.

 

Yippee shrugged. “It’s not me either.”

 

“It’s me,” said HaterJ, sighing. “FR-2455 is indisposed and they’ve assigned me immediate guard duty outside the Emperors’ chambers.”

 

“Hey, well good for you! Guard duty for the Emperors themselves! You must have really impressed someone,” said Ajay 10.

 

“I suppose.”

 

“You don’t sound happy,” said Yippee.

 

“I am. Just, I’m going to be thinking about this conversation for the entirety of my shift. Emperor Ren’s a mind-reader, what if he….”

 

Innuendo laughed. “He’s not going to waste it on that. Besides, this is your chance to prove us all wrong. To show that there really is nothing going on between the two of them besides politics.”

 

HaterJ stood up and straightened the panel of his chest armour. “Right then. Ready for duty”

 

They all saluted him as he left the common-room.

 

* * *

 

“I have had such a day,” huffed Kylo, storming into the bed-chamber he shared with his husband.

 

“I know. I _was_ there,” said Hux, not looking up from his datapad.

 

“I know you know. You were just sitting there, all amused, as the ambassador insulted the ways of the Dark Side,” scowled Kylo.  

 

“You seemed to be getting along fine by yourself when you gave him your little practical demonstration,” said Hux, all faux-innocence.

 

“Didn’t stop you from interfering to prevent me from actually finishing the job,” muttered Kylo.

 

Hux put down his datapad and moved to wrap his arms around Kylo. “Darling, don’t sulk. We need him for now but you can kill him once our business is concluded.”

 

Kylo bared his teeth in a grin. “Is that a promise?”

 

“It is. But in the meantime, I think you deserve to be punished for your outburst, don’t you?” Hux said, pulling Kylo closer.

 

“Yes please.”

 

There was a strange choked sound from outside.

 

“What was that?” Hux asked, suddenly alert.

 

Kylo could feel Hux’s muscles tense up against him. He did a quick scan with the Force. “It was just the guard outside the door. I guess something went down the wrong way.”

 

Hux visibly relaxed. “Whatever do we pay them for?”

 

“We don’t,” Kylo pointed out. “I thought that was half the point of using stormtroopers.”

 

“We pay for their accommodation and their keep – it’s close enough,” said Hux, moving his hand up to caress Kylo’s cheek. “Now, where were we?”

 

Kylo smashed his mouth up against Hux’s, getting lost in the sensation of skin against skin. Hux pushed him onto the bed, fingers quickly finding the catch to undo his robes. Kylo pulled them off and gave a moan as Hux ran his fingernails down Kylo’s bare chest.

 

And if either of them heard any more noises from the stormtrooper outside the door, neither of them deigned to mention it. 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> So, it's been a while since I last wrote in this 'verse! Hopefully, some people might still remember the fic this is a sequel to, lol. I'm planning a more substantial sequel to Focus but I thought I'd write something short and silly in the meantime because I missed writing for this 'verse (which now has a name, so yay). Still, this fic might just set up one or two plot points for the next part, you never know...
> 
> As ever, any comments really are much appreciated :)


End file.
